Author 



s-**°* 



03 



r* 
* 




o 



Title 



* **s s 



LB 



Imprint 



n 



i 





iffljSWHY AND. DEjSCRIP'] 



)F THE y 



It H H W S S 



> 



W 



\ i 



BEING \ -VSTEM OF MERITS AND QUESTIONS COMBINED, 

FOR GENERAL AND PRACTICAL 

USE IN SCHOOLS. 



FULL AND EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS 



R. W/McKEE, Baldwin, Pa, 





filjSWRY MD DESCRIPTION 



1 OF THE}- 



^OF^ 



» -1 



BEING A SYSTEM OF MERITS AND QUESTIONS COMBINED, 
FOR GENERAL AND PRACTICAL 
\ USE IN SCHOOLS. 






V- 



FULL AND EXPLICIT INSTEUCTIONS 






FOB TTSI2!TGK 

- BY ^^fc£fL^' 

KL. W. McKKB, Baldwin, Pa, 

Matchbtt & Co., Printers, 78 and 80 Wood St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 



\>l 



*» 



|Yl3 



DEDICATED 

— <JTO THE|> — 

TEACHERS AND PUPILS 



-OF THE- 



UNITED STATES. 



Entered Accoiding to Act of Congress in the year 1SS1, by R. W 
McKEE, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 



NOTA BENE. 



It will not take you long to read this small 
book CAREFULLY from beginning to end. A ny 
suggestions for the improvement of this system, 
any criticisms communicated in a friendly spirit, 
or any questions that may be of general inter- 
est, and suitable and useful for it, will be thank- 
fully received from any one. 

Address the Author. 



fHjSWRY AND DESCRIPTION 



The idea of utilizing the reverse, or while side of Merit Tickets w ilh 
a useful question or direction was derived from the experience of the 
author as a teacher, and while he was Principal of the Public Schools 
of Saltsburg, Pa. The idea of different denominations of Merit Tick- 
ets, as developed in this system, was derived from the author's experi- 
ence as a banker. His brief, but very successful use, in that school, of 
the system while yet in a very crude state, has prompted his giving it to 
his fellow teachers in this improved form, and ready for use, with the 
hope that it shall be to them and their pupils, what its name purports — 
A NATIONAL BANK OF KNOWLEDGE, from" which they can con- 
tinually draw funds that will cause them to increase their capital stock 
in the great business of Education. The system consists of eight de- 
nominations of nicely engraved Merit Cards or Tickets, printed in as 
many different colors, and sufficient in number for the wants of any 
ordinary school. The denominations are similar to that of the sub- 
sidiary coinage of the United States. As now published, there are six- 
teen hundred tickets of different denominations in proportion as set 
forth below: 
Denomination of One Merit : 256 Rose. 

" " Two Merits 224 Blue. 

" " Three Merits 224 Buff. 

" •' Five Merits 128 Yellow. 

" " Ten Merits 224 Green. 

" " Twenty-five Merits 128 Salmon. 

•« " Fifty Merits 12S Drab, 

" " One Hundred Merits 288 Fawn. 



These sixteen hundred tickets are capable of supplying any school 
with over forty-three thousand Merits. The number of tickets may be 
increased in future editions, if found necessary. It is put up for sale 
in a neat box containing eight divisions— a place for each denomina- 
tion—and therefore ready for use at once. Although primarily intend- 
ed for use in schools, it could be used in family instruction as well. 

DIKECTIONtf FOK U$WG- 



The method of using this system, as well as that of any other, should 
be upon the principle of " whatever is worth doing at all, is worth do- 
ing well." For the benefit of those desiring to use it in the same man 
ner as used by the author, and as intended to be used, these directions 
and suggestions are here inserted. 

It was used as a general exercise immediately after the opening of the 
morning session, and the same way at the opening of the session in the 
afternoon. In this way, it made two general exercises each day, in 
which every scholar in school individually took part, and the time 
occupied was hardly ever more than ten minutes at each exercise. It 
might also be used as a class exercise, at the close of a regular recita- 
tion, to give variety, which is the spice of life, and most especially 
of school life. As a preparatory measure, and for the better preserva- 
tion of the tickets, each pupil was required to have a good strong envel- 
lope, with his name plainly written upon it. Perhaps the better plan, ow- 
ing to the small cost at which' it could be done, and for the sake of uni- 
formity, would be for the teacher to furnish each of his pupils with the 
envelope. The basis upon which the Merits were given out was that 



6 

each pupil present at roll-call — that is, not tardy — was entitled to one 
merit as pay for that forenoon. So absence for one half day, or tardi- 
ness was punished by the forfeiture of their wages — one merit. And, as 
the great bane of our schools is irregular attendance, if the system of 
paying the pupils wages in this way, will have a tendency to break up 
this evil alone, leaving every other benefit derived from it out of the 
question, it will have accomplished a purpose more valuable than 
many times its cost. 

At the appointed time, proper quietness and attention was required 
and the box was passed to each pupil in the school-room by the teach- 
er, or some pupil designated by him. If the teacher thinks best, he 
might pass the box at all times himself, but my method was to have it 
passed by each pupil in turn, as seated in the school-room, or as their 
names stood upon the roll, so that each pupil would know when his 
turn came, and absence or tardiness forfeited that privilege also. But 
whoever passes the box should pay particular attention, and correct 
any errors that might be noticed, such as putting Merit Tickets in the 
wrong division, or taking out the wrong denomination, or any errors of 
that nature. Of course, the first time the box or " bank " passes around, 
each pupil would simply take a one Merit Ticket out of its proper apart- 
ment or division, as each denomination has a separate space allotted to 
if. 

(Jreat care should be taken to have each denomination always in its 
proper place or division, as only upon this ground can the Merit pan of 
the system be carried along correctly, but as the denominations are 
printed in different colors, this will not be a difficult matter 

The second time the box was passed around, would ho nearly similar 



to the first, as each pupil present would put his one Merit Ticket back 
into its proper place and take out a two Merit Ticket. And so, the 
third time, when each pupil present would put his two Merit Ticket 
back, and take out a three Merit Ticket. But, very soon, from absence 
and tardiness and new admissions, this sameness will change, and each 
pupil, being required to keep his own count, should know exactly 
what he has to do when the box comes to him, and be prepared to act 
promptly. 

When a pupil has a three Zvterit Ticket, he only has to retain that, 
and take out a one Merit Ticket, and the next time it comes to him, he 
should put in both his one Merit and three Merit Tickets, and take out 
a five Merit Ticket. With a five Merit Ticket in his possession, it 
would only be necessary to go through the same routine that has been 
explained, until his stock of Merits would be increased to nine, then all 
tickets in his possession would be put back into their respective di- 
visions, and a ten Merit Ticket taken out. So when the pupil had ob- 
tained twenty-four merits, all his tickets would be put back into the 
box, and a twenty-five Merit Ticket taken out, and so on, constantly 
increasing his stock by one merit for each half-day's punctual attend- 
ance. A pupil will often put back several tickets, but should never 
take out more than one. The method of making change here laid 
down, might be slightly modified or changed, but the idea aimed at is 
to have the total number of merits held by each pupil represented by 
as few Merit Tickets as possible. On the basis set forth, the teacher's 
account of attendance should tally with the number of merits held by 
the pupii, if no other account is kept, but I would advise keeping a 
merit account. Once each month at its close would be often enough for 



the teacher to settle with the pupils to see how the accounts agreed. 

Accuracy in counting and making change is certainly taught here, 
if carefully looked after by the teacher 

Pupils were required to take the best possible care of their tickets 
and were not allowed to write on them, double, tear or soil them in any 
way beyond the necessary wear and tear of ordinary use. In this was 
the habit of carefulness taught. 

Being excused for absence or tardiness did not entitle the pupil to a 
merit for that particular case. However, each teacher should regulate 

this to suit himself. Certain rules should be adopted by the teacher in 
starting the use of this system in regard to what entitled pupils to a 
merit, and strictly adhered to throughout one term at least, and all 
should be treated alike in this regard, without respect to age, sex, color or 
previous condition of servitude. 

This is so far as the Merit side of the tickets is concerned, but now, 
the other important part of the system— the idea of utilizing the re- 
verse side of the Merit Tickets by having printed thereon, a useful gen- 
eral question or direction — is also brought into use, and this will no 
doubt soon prove to be the most interesting part of the exercise. Of 
course in primary schools, this part would have to be dispensed with 
altogether, and in ungraded schools in the country, those pupils who 
could not read could be passed over so far as this part of the exercise 
was concerned. 

Each pupil, as soon as he gets his Merit Ticket, and sees that it is of 
the right denomination, can read and study whatever may be on the 
reverse side, until the box returns to the teacher's desk, and then im- 
mediately the pupil to whom the box was first passed, rises in his place 



and reads the question or whatever may be on his ticket, and if he can 
do so, answers it as briefly and correctly as possible. The next one does 
in the same manner, aid so on until all have done so. In case the tick- 
et would direct the pupil to do something, either on the slate, black- 
board, or writing of any kind on paper, he should go to work promptly, 
and have it done by the time it came his turn to answer, and then, if 
required, read his answer. In case a pupil could not answer or do the 
requirements of his Merit Ticket, he should be immediately seated 
after reading it. 

No penalty was attached to a failure to answer the questions, or com- 
ply with the directions, but it should be the aim and pride of each pu- 
pil to answer all that he may get, either at the given time, or at some 
future day. It would be a good idea for each pupil to keep a list of all 
questions or directions, that he may draw during the term, and record 
his answers in a small pass book kept for that purpose. He might use 
one page for questions, and the opposite one for answers, and at the 
end of the term, unconsciously, he would have written a book. Pupils 
may sometimes happen to get the same ticket they have had at some 
previous time, but this will occur so very seldom as not to hurt. 
Teachers need not put all their Capital Stock of tickets in the bank aT 
one time, but keep out a Reserve Fund, and add to the Capital, as oc- 
casion demanded, or they might mix up each denomination occasion- 
ally so as to avoid the same Merit Ticket coming out too often in suc- 
cession. 

The system does not furnish .answers to the questions, but leaves each 
free to give an answer in his own words, or perform the direction in 
his own way, but it would certainly be the duty of the teacher to see 



10 

that all would be done in the best possible manner, according to the 
ability of the pupil. Any unanswered questions may be called up af- 
terward, before closing the exercise, or the next day, and an oppor- 
tunity given any pupil of school to answer. This at times would be 
eminently proper, but in my opinion, it is better not to make it too 
general, but to make each'one feel that it is a special exercise for him, 
and that they should act accordingly, and put forth every effort within 
themselves, so as not to have too many failures on their part. In sup- 
port of this, I will here venture to say that the pupil who draws a 
question and fails to answer it at the time, will be apt to look it up, or 
ask about it at home, while the same question might be asked him by 
the teacher with the same failure to answer, and he would never think 
about it afterward. 

The teacher should never volunteer to give their pupils answers, until 
after proper and diligent research and inquiry had been made by them. 
It would be entirely proper for him to refer them to some person or 
book where the proper information might be obtained, in case the pu- 
pil had failed to find any information about the particular question. 
When a pupil leaves school by moving from the vicinity, or for a per- 
manent absence, his tickets should be returned to the bank. 

At the close of the school term, the Merit Tickets should all be re- 
turned to the bank, and the number of merits obtained by each pupil 
properly recorded, and the business of the bank closed. If the teacher 
after using this system, discovers some better method, he should cer- 
tainly use it in preference to following these instructions, but, as these 
are based upon actual trial and experience, they shouid be worthy of 
careful consideration, at least, if not to an exact trial. 



11 

And now, as the great demand of the age is "thin" textbooks, and 
greatly appreciating that grand idea, I submit this "thin" book, with 
its accompanying system of School Money to the educational and teach- 
ing fraternity of the United States, and, by the friendly aid of the 
greatest power in the land, send it forth for trial at your hands, 
and trust that vour verdict will not be, that it is ' too thin." 




12 

The following letter of recommendation from Prof. It. 0. Waldron, 
for three years Principal of the Public Schools of Baldwin , Pa., speaks 
for itself: 

Breakneck, Pa., April 20th, 1882. 
To lohom it may concern: 

Before its publication, I used the model of the "National Bank of 
Knowledge," in the Baldwin Public Schools during the last term of six 
months. Some of the advantages and benefits demonstrated by its use, 
as set forth in the instructions of the author, are as follows:— 

1st. It secured regular and punctual attendance. 

2nd. It taught pupils to think for themselves, and to give original 
and clear expression to their thought. 

3rd. It greatly sharpened their observations. 

4th. It put new life into the dull pupils. 

5th. It caused the pupils to work at home, and consequently the pa- 
rents became interested. 

6th. It stimulated the pupils to read useful books, and search after 
useful information, and to remember it. 

As a General Exercise, it is unsurpassed, as it is always new. The 
questions are on such a variety of subjects, that it can never become 
monotonous. It certainly deserves to come into general use in all our 
schools, and I commend it to every teacher as worth more than its 
cost. 

R. O. WALDRON. 



V* 



fcJ5K!iF Y 0F CONGRESS 




021 285 547 9 



